Walking on Rum and the Small Isles. Peter Edwards

      

      WALKING ON RUM AND THE SMALL ISLES

      by

      Peter Edwards

      2 POLICE SQUARE, MILNTHORPE, CUMBRIA, LA7 7PY

      www.cicerone.co.uk

      About the Author

      Peter Edwards grew up in Sussex and nurtured a love of walking and mountain biking amid the ‘blunt, bow-headed, whale-backed’ hills of the South Downs. He has undertaken numerous walking and cycling expeditions in Europe and beyond and is particularly drawn to wild and remote landscapes. He lives in Glasgow with his wife, Fiona. Peter also writes about his walking and cycling trips on his blog at www.writesofway.com.

      Other Cicerone guides by the author

      Walking on Jura, Islay and Colonsay

      Mountain Biking on the South Downs

      © Peter Edwards 2012

      First edition 2012

      ISBN: 978 1 85284 662 6

      Printed by KHL Printing, Singapore

      A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

      All photographs are by the author unless otherwise stated.

       This product includes mapping data licensed from Ordnance Survey ® with the permission of the Controller of Her Majesty’s Stationery Office. © Crown copyright 2012. All rights reserved. Licence number PU100012932

      Dedication

      This book is dedicated to my father-in-law, Alex ‘Alasdair Beag’ Rintoul, a proud Scotsman who loves his country – ‘good gear comes in wee bulk'!

      Acknowledgements

      Thanks to all the team at Cicerone for transforming my words and pictures into a rather fine wee guidebook! While researching the routes for this guide I have enjoyed the excellent company of Kirsten Abingdon, Rich Baldwin, Sarah Blann, James Boulter (www.backpackingbongos.wordpress.com), Andy and Jen Dodd, Andy Godfrey, Giulia Hetherington, Clare Meadows, Fiona Rintoul and Dùghall Mòr nan Eilean. Thanks to Morar-based mountain leader, Peter Khambatta (www.adventurenevis.com) for several pictures. Thanks to Alex Munro and Bob McFarlane of www.blueskyscotland.blogspot.com for pictures and an inspirational eye on Scotland’s great outdoors.

      Thanks to Jura-based photographer, Konrad Borkowski for the red deer pictures (www.konradborkowski.com). On the isle of Rum, I was greatly assisted by Linda Hjoelund of Scottish National Heritage and all the staff at Kinloch Castle, especially Georgie McMillan and Rebecca Watson. Thanks also to Dave ‘Chainsaw’ Beaton for loaning me his binoculars. On Canna, a big thank you to Stewart Connor, the island’s National Trust for Scotland warden and his partner, Julie McCabe, who rescued us when our tent was blown into the sea. Special thanks are due to my wife, The Lovely Fiona, for her support, encouragement and great good sense.

      Advice to readers

      While every effort is made by our authors to ensure the accuracy of guidebooks as they go to print, changes can occur during the lifetime of an edition. If we know of any, there will be an Updates tab on this book’s page on the Cicerone website (www.cicerone.co.uk), so please check before planning your trip. We also advise that you check information about such things as transport, accommodation and shops locally. Even rights of way can be altered over time. We are always grateful for information about any discrepancies between a guidebook and the facts on the ground, sent by email to [email protected] or by post to Cicerone, 2 Police Square, Milnthorpe LA7 7PY, United Kingdom.

      Front cover: Dùn Mòr sea stack, Sanday, looking across the Sound of Canna to the hills of Rum

      CONTENTS

       Overview map

       INTRODUCTION

       When to go

       Getting there

       Ferries and flights

       Maps, route finding and access

       Safety and emergencies

       What to take

       Using this guide

       RUM

       Walk 1 A round of the Rum Cuillin

       Walk 2 The Dibidil Horseshoe

       Walk 3 Around the coast of Rum

       Walk 4 Kinloch to Guirdil

       Walk 5 The Guirdil Horseshoe

       Walk 6 Around Rum’s western hills

       Walk 7 Kinloch to Kilmory Bay or Harris

       EIGG

       Walk 8 An Sgùrr and Grulin

       Walk 9 Around the coast and cliffs of north Eigg

       CANNA

       Walk 10 Around the coast of Canna

       Walk 11 Around Sanday

       MUCK